Reviews by kinger:

I was expecting cider sweet with overpowering alcohol, what I got was sooo much more. This poured a nice amber color typical of an ale with a thin head up front which soon dissipated as should be expected. The aroma was bursting almost like a well placed bouquet. The flavor is what floored me, for as strong as this is there was no doubt that first and foremost this is an ale. Wonderful flavor and the very strong alcohol doesn't make it's presence known until you have swallowed. This reminds me of drinking scotch, not in the taste but in the effect. Well done Weyerbacher, I only hope my favorite store continues to stock your product. (640 characters)

More User Reviews:

Appearance: Pours a very pretty, deep, dark, mahogany color, speckled with orange highlights, and a quarter of a finger of white-colored head that quickly dissolved away into a thin lacing of foam that almost completely covered the top of the beer.

Aroma: Very aromatic with strong aromas of toasted malt, imparting notes of freshly toasted English muffins, followed by some notes of brown sugar, toffee, dried stone fruit such as raisins, figs, prunes, and a touch of maple syrup.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied, but leaning a little towards the thin side. It’s a very smooth beer as there is very little carbonation. With an ABV of 11.1%, there is a very pleasant alcohol warmth on the palate.

Overall: This is a very, very, good barleywine! Excellent, in fact! It has great flavors of malt, brown sugar and maple syrup-like sweetness, dried stone fruit and a touch of hops. The only thing keeping this barleywine from being world-class is the slightly less than perfect mouthfeel. If it had a chewier mouthfeel, it would be world-class. (1,264 characters)

First review, irony? let's hope not.A- Poured into an imperial pint glass, fluffy two inch head. Ruby red-orange. Looks more like an ipa than a barleywine. Nice retention an lacing, stays till the last drop.

S- Lots of fruit aroma in here, however the alcohol still overpowers. Some plum and berry. Kind of reminds me of one of those B&J wine coolers.

T- Goes right along with the smell. Black currant, plum, raspberry, and then straight alcohol. One of those you drink and your first reaction is to shake your head violently because the alcohol is so pervasive. Probably would be better after a few years in the cellar.

M- Smooth, velvet along with the fluffy head, little carbonation. Saves the beer.

D-The alcohol overpowers all, could think of a lot of beers around the same abv where there is no alcohol to be sensed. This beer has promise, it just needs to store for a few years. Friend of mine shared a bottle with me and he could not finish his half so it ended up down the drain. I pushed through and it is fair to say this isn't a repeat selection. (1,064 characters)

Had this on tap at the Spring House Drafting Room,poured a medium brown with some amber tones with a light but somewhat creamy head,aroma was of burnt fruit and alcohol.Taste was very rasiny and of dried fruit definently sweet and chewy and gets better as it warms.A pretty nice brew I think the best I have had from Weyerbacher. (329 characters)

Appearance  This was a dark, orangish brown with a gorgeous cascading nitro-looking head a la Guinness. The head consisted of fairly large bubbles that hung over the fluid like a drizzling nimbostratus.

Smell  The sweet malt base dominates the nose of this one. Its pretty laid back but consists of tons of sugar and some ripe fruits like apricots along with a noticeable warning of alcohol.

Taste  This one has a deep, malt base that is laden with big sugars. It is very wine-like, consisting of big, dry, chardonnay grapes along with lots of fruity notes. The alcohol blends right in with the winey character and is hardly detectable.

Mouthfeel  This was smooth enough but could probably benefit from cellaring. It was a little heavier than medium-bodied and ended pretty dry.

Drinkability  Very good now, probably better in two years or so.

Update – I can’t believe that it’s been seven years since I last had this BW, but now that I’ve moved back to the Midwest I was able to find it in a local beer store. It’s a lot less sugary than I noted on my original review and I thought the alcohol was a bit more prominent but otherwise a terrific sipper. (1,179 characters)

Deep copper amber with an off-white head that dissolves to clingy lace. Easy drinker despite the high ABV. Very well concealed strength. Flavor and aroma are largely one dimensional and port like. That port quality consists largely of booze soaked dark fruits and spices that tend to indicate high alcohol presence. Hops are much lighter than expected indicating that this barley wine follows the English tradition rather than the American. Mouthfeel is rather warming and light for a barley wine. Flavor and aroma greatly improve as the beer warms to room temp but it remains rather dull and lacking in complexity. Still very drinkable and in fact dangerously easy to gulp down. Many thanks to expatsteve for the sample. (721 characters)

T: Sweetness quickly takes over the palate with a very refined grain malt taste combined with something on the order of rock candy; sort of a fruity flavor similar to that of a sweet wine.

M: Very heavy and sweet. Light but persistent carbonation keeps the sweetness from cloying on the tongue. There is definite warming but no real intense alcohol presense. Goes down easy but catches up to you quickly.

Barley wine style. Definitely. Blithering Idiot is deceptive in that it is quite sweet in both nose and mouth and manages to hide that serious kick with the exception of some enjoyable warming at the end. Awesome. And that color! Almost like a ruby colored port. So long as you aren't put off by the sweet profile, you will probably like this. Recommended. (1,060 characters)

Dark orangish- brown in color, slightly muddled complexion. Nose is full malt, with maybe some plum or raisin. Drinks thick. Initial rush of caramel, that exits quickly. Middle is malty / watery and leaves a carpet of malt on the tongue. Expecting more from the end, but it simply finishes unceremoniously.

Pours a deep reddish amber with really no head to speak of. The smell is caramel covered fruit with plenty of piney, earthy hops coming out as well. Not too overpowering.

The first taste is a candied fruity, hoppy punch in the mouth, with just enough caramel maltiness to keep it all together. Biterness and alcohol sting the back of the palate on the way down. A little off balance, but I do love the hops so I won't complain.

Mouthfeel is good with a nice full body and good consistency. Drinkability is good as well, but after a few of these you'll end up looking like the joker on the label. I think this one could've used some more time in the cellar...but it's good fresh if you're looking for a hoppier taste. Check this one out if you like barleywines. Thanks to, ironically enough, blitheringidiot himself for the chance to partake. (847 characters)

12oz single from Cooridor Wine and Spirits. Excited about having this beer, huge WYB fan. I think the label is funny with the huge UPC bar code up front. Are they trying to tell us something?

Pours almost a grapish translucent copper. Good amount of lacing, even from this smally bottle. Head pours 1.5 fingers and settles. While the head has no staying power, lacing does which makes it 'pretty'.

Taste is not what I expected from a Barley Wine. Dare I say watery alcohol initial. Settles in with mild fruit and barley. Warming through from alcohol. Not a biting alcohol, but warming, much nicer.

I gave a 4.5 on the mouthfeel. Im not exactly sure why. While taste is definatly coupled to the MF, setting taste aside I like the way this settles in my mouth. Carbonation runs a nice smooth course. Very settling.

I am interested in having this again, just not quickly. Not a bad beer, but I would like to try some more BW before this again. (952 characters)

A 12oz bottle poured into a snifter, this is an attractive beer. Red/orange color, small head, nicely carbonated. It had a dark fruit, malty aroma. The taste showed a strong malt presence, with little, if any, hops . This was a mild beer, not at all aggressive. I thought it to be very drinkable, even at 11% ABV. (313 characters)

Can't describe the appearance much as I had no glassware at the campsite, but it looked pretty good when I poured a bit into a plastic cup. Had this bottle in my beer cellar for about 6 months or so waiting for the first night on the Cape. The one I had when "fresh" was rather unbalanced and screamed for aging.

Aroma was ripe fruit & alcohol - sweet apple, figs, plums, and fumes of alcohol. Started out with a big fruity malt assault - the same three as above, with caramel & toffee-like sweetness joining the fray. Somewhere way in the background a hop raised its hand for recognition by the chairman, but it was never recognized by the floor so it left the meeting with reserved bitterness. The alcohol remained well in check until it hit mid sip and bellowed loudly but briefly. The finish was sweet, sugary, alcoholic, but not at all cloying, with a lingering toffee apple aftertaste. Hugely drinkable for its potency after aging. (944 characters)